Veterans all over the nation are at risk of seeing a significant decline in the quality of care they receive at VA hospitals due to a group of conservative politicians attempting to revive the failed 2017 Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act in the United States Congress.
The latest version, the Restore Veterans Affairs (VA) Accountability Act of 2023, claims to address the original’s flaws, which was signed into law in June 2017. However, a closer look reveals that it actually aims to jeopardize the quality of care provided to our nation’s heroes and undermine the rights and job security of dedicated VA workers such as myself.
As president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2328 representing more than 1,000 employees, including clinical pharmacists such as me, at the Hampton VA Medical Center, I’m fighting against the passage of this bill to protect VA workers and veteran care. My union joins me — the American Federation of Government Employees National VA Council, representing more than 291,000 VA workers nationwide, a third of whom are veterans.
Like its predecessor, the 2023 VA Accountability Act threatens civil servants at the VA who have tirelessly served those who have sacrificed for our country. Regrettably, U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans of Virginia’s 2nd District has chosen to lend her support as a co-sponsor to this disastrous legislation. Every one of us should be outraged.
Over the last six years, federal courts, arbitrators and federal agencies, including the Federal Labor Relations Authority and the Merit Systems Protection Board, have repeatedly ruled against the VA, finding that the agency abused its authority by misapplying the accountability act.
Even VA Secretary Denis McDonough recognized the issues of the 2017 law and ordered the VA to abandon its use of it earlier this year. The VA submitted a statement to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations this month, stating it does not support the bill.
Additionally, this new legislation distracts from the real issues plaguing the VA health care system, such as staffing. More than 500 employees were hired last year, and only 20 stayed.
Throughout the VA, there were approximately 50,000 employee vacancies nationwide, even before the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022 passed last year, which took a necessary step to expand benefits for 6.2 million veterans but has exacerbated the strain on an already critically understaffed health care system. The shortage of clinical staff in Veterans Health Administration facilities has escalated, with 88% of front-line employees reporting the need for additional staff.
Despite a severe staffing shortage, VA hospitals consistently outperform non-VA hospitals on all 10 core patient satisfaction metrics, as shown in a nationwide survey conducted by Medicare. This exceptional performance is due to the unwavering commitment of VA workers who ensure veterans can connect with providers who comprehend their specific needs. Trust in the VA’s ability to deliver health care is reflected in the fact that 90% of veterans rely on the VA for their health care needs.
The 2023 Accountability Act poses a significant threat to VA employees’ job security and rights, jeopardizing the dedicated individuals devoted to caring for our nation’s heroes and the veterans we serve. The legislation’s ease of employee termination, the weakening of employee protections and limited emphasis on professional growth undermine the quality of care our veterans receive.
Kiggans should also keep in mind that Hampton Roads is home to the world’s largest naval base and one of the largest military communities in the world. National VA Council union members at the Hampton VAMC, such as myself, are proud and honored to care for the veterans in our community.
This makes it especially disheartening to see Kiggans, who possesses a nursing and Navy background, co-sponsoring legislation that threatens care for the many veterans in our neighborhoods and further burdens an already understaffed and overworked VA workforce.
I urge Kiggans to reconsider her support for this bill and instead place the well-being of VA workers at the forefront and focus her efforts on improving veterans’ access to exemplary health care. Veterans across the nation — and especially at the Hampton VA — deserve better.
Sheila Elliott, Pharm.D., is the president of the American Federation of Government Employees National VA Council Local 2328 in Hampton. She has worked at the Hampton VA Medical Center for more than 33 years as a clinical pharmacist specialist and resides in Sioux.
